Renault Megane 2013 News

As if the Renault Megane RS265 isn't enough, the French manufacture has upped the ante with a limited edition model called the RB8 -- for Red Bull 8. It's to celebrate the fourth consecutive victory of the Red Bull Racing Team in the Formula 1 World Championships, but we're not sure why the 8 is in the name. Only 120 of the RB8 will be available, all finished in Dusk Blue paint -- taking its inspiration directly from the race team's colours -- with Platinum detailing. It carries subtle Red Bull Racing branding, and features body-hugging Recaro front seats, the latest R-Link Multimedia system and TomTom Live navigation system, plus the latest on-board RS Monitor v2.0. The $49,990 RB8 is shod as standard with the same Cup chassis and Bridgestone tyres that helped Megane RS 265 Trophy establish a lap record at the Nurburgring. The carbon fibre effect dashboard boasts red highlights and is bisected by a grey centre band. The sporty effect is completed with red seatbelts. Further sporty details include alloy foot pedals, gloss black centre console and insert in the leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a platinum-finished Renaultsport gear knob. The RS Monitor delivers a new, more user-friendly and intuitive interface, which uses R-Link's 7-inch colour display to provide information on GPS tracked lap timing, information in 3D form and real-time access to power output data, 0-100kmh acceleration times, and G-Force read-outs. Power comes from a 195kW (265hp) engine with stop-start for better city economy.  

The traditional station wagon has been one casualty among many of the rise of SUVs, but they remain popular in Europe so German and French brands spin them off hatchbacks and sedans across their line-ups. Demand here is tiny, but local distributors are usually obliged to bring them in. They are then faced with the problem of how to sell them. I've lost count of how many times I've heard someone explain that their new wagon will lure people away from SUVs because it drives better, is cheaper to run and more practical. It's usually true, but it doesn't make a difference. The latest to ply this line is Renault, which has added a wagon variant to its Megane range as part of a mid-life freshen up. The wagon is substantially longer - 25cm - than the hatchback and has 40 per cent more cargo space. It starts at $26,490 with a 103kW 2-litre petrol or another $4000 for the most accessible diesel, an 81kW 1.5-litre. Its star turn, however, is the GT220 performance model, with a retuned version of the turbocharged engine in the RS265 hatchback. The RS265 holds the record for the fastest lap of Germany's Nurburgring racetrack for a front-wheel-drive car and is a benchmark among performance hatches. The wagon, with 162kW, gets 33kW less power from the same turbocharged 2-litre unit, but its sports chassis means it's still a hoot to drive and one of the few performance wagons on offer at this level. Available only with a six-speed manual, it costs $36,990, or another $5000 for the Premium version, which adds leather, satnav and a reversing camera. It won't revive Megane sales on its own - supply has been limited to 220 examples - but Renault says a shift in sourcing for the model from Turkey to Spain is responsible for a 7 per cent dip in demand for the Megane and supplies are now back on track. The revised line-up lowers the entry point to $20,990 plus on-road costs, from $25,990 driveaway, for a base manual petrol and introduces an additional trim level called GT Line to widen its appeal. The starting point for the convertible Megane CC drops $9000 to $36,990. Engines and transmissions carry over and, aside from minor styling changes such as LED lights at the front, the revisions focus on retuning the suspension and making more safety kit available, including an intelligent light system. Supplies are now likely to be the least of its worries, with Renault suffering more than most from the prolonged European downturn. First half sales results out this week show Renault sales down 10.3 per cent in western Europe compared with 6.6 per cent for the overall market. Chief executive Carlos Ghosn said recently that Europe might not recover for another two years. Renault might find some consolation in the figures for compatriot brands Peugeot and Citroen, because they are worse - down 11.7 per cent and 16.2 per cent respectively. It's a situation mirrored in Australia, where Citroen demand is down 34 per cent and Peugeot is treading water with a 1.5 per cent increase over the first half of last year. By comparison, Renault is up 44 per cent and on track to outsell Peugeot here for the first time - the importer believes - since the 1970s.  

Meet the Megane Coupe Cabriolet concept, the standout star of the Geneva Motor Show stacked with designer fantasies and production test beds.“This show car emphatically showcases the evolution of Renault design,” says Renault's Patrick Le Quemont. “Its squatter proportions and powerful, energetic styling talk directly to the driver's senses. The spectacular door-opening kinematics add that little touch of magic.”Those doors, which open upwards in two stages - first the glass swings up followed by the metal bottom section - are the standout feature but are unlikely to carry through to the expected appearance of the production Megane Coupe at the Paris Motor Show in September. Renault is not about to confirm any features of future models but does concede the Megane Concept is a taste of a later compact production coupe.Inside, the concept has been styled with a funky future theme featuring ultra-thin seating, acres of red plastic, brushed aluminium and leather with a full suite of electronic gadgetry, including full Bluetooth connectivity, rear-vision cameras and a locking system operated by a mobile phone. The concept rides on 21in wheels, has Brembo brakes and is powered by a conventional 147kW, two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with drive through a six-speed automatic box. One element of the exterior design likely to make production is the front-end treatment.Meanwhile, Hyundai continues its journey to mainstream innovator with the HED-5 i-Mode minivan concept - a six-seat vision of future urban transport.The i-Mode concept on display in Geneva showcased advanced materials and construction with an interior inspired by natural forms and landscapes. The seating is a unique swivel technology from automotive seating specialists Keiper. Powered by a 2.2-litre diesel with sequential turbochargers with 158kW of power and 450Nm of torque, the concept appears to be built off a modified i30 platform. Hyundai's sister company Kia rolled out three versions of its Soul concept, first shown two years ago in Detroit, but this time the boxy hatch is close to production.As the Soul Diva, the Soul Burner and the Soul Searcher, the three concepts are exterior studies of the same vehicle but, judging from the lack of out-there gadgetry in the interior - and ignoring the fanciful interior trim and colour treatments - the model is very close to a production future.Honda moved another step closer to its promised hybrid vehicle to sit side-by-side with Civic by the end of next year, unveiling the stylish CR-Z concept. A three-door hatch with attitude to burn, the CR-Z has already been anointed by Honda as a hybrid sports car of the future.The CR-Z's sleek look is highlighted by minimalist LED headlights and driving lights, nose-down stance and truncated tail with upright rear glass.